Vegans live healthy with risks

Slightly increased risk of cardiovascular disease in vegans

07/07/2011

While a vegetarian diet that does not allow for meat-based animal products such as eggs and milk will have many beneficial effects on health, diet-only diets are likely to increase the risks of serious health problems „World Online“ based on an overview study by the Chinese nutritionist Duo Li.

While vegetarians refrain from eating meat, but non-carnivorous animal products, vegans generally reject the consumption of animal foods. In addition to meat, other animal foods such as milk and eggs are completely eliminated. Associated with this is apparently an increased risk of health problems and cardiovascular diseases, according to the results of a survey study by the Chinese nutrition researcher Duo Li. Vegetarians, on the other hand, are healthier on average than the so-called omnivores (omnivores).

Increased risk of cardiovascular disease in vegans
To date, among nutritionists is not uncontroversial, which health consequences associated with a vegetarian or vegan diet. Therefore, the Chinese nutritionist Duo Li has devoted in an overview study of the evaluation of existing research results. Li noted that although a vegetarian diet is generally accompanied by positive health effects, vegans are subject to significantly higher risks in certain diseases. For example, the risk of cardiovascular disease in vegans is significantly increased because their blood has too much homocysteine ​​and not enough vascular protective HDL cholesterol. In addition, vegans would be more likely to have blood clots, reports „World Online“. As the Chinese nutritionist told the online journal, he could „do not recommend anyone to eat vegan“. In addition to those affected, their organism is supplemented with the required biostats such as iron, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12 and zinc.

Healthiness of the vegetarians overall above average
Although the vegans should actually tend to deficiency symptoms, their overall health status is well above average, said the nutritionist David Jenkins of the University of Toronto. The expert supplemented that certain abnormalities in the blood count could not necessarily be concluded as an increased risk of illness. For example, the overall demand for HDL cholesterol in vegans is significantly lower than average, since the role of HDL cholesterol is actually the elimination of harmful LDL cholesterol from the vessel walls. „But in the blood vessels of vegans who do not consume animal fats, not so much LDL that needs to be eliminated circulates“, David Jenkins pointed out „World Online“. The Austrian nutritionist Ibrahim Elmadfa from the University of Vienna also emphasized that the lack of nutrients in vegans does not automatically lead to illnesses. Elmadfa was able to prove in an independent study that vegans, despite the lower intake of the above-mentioned biofuels no increased tendency to deficiency diseases such as osteoporosis.

Healthy lifestyle reduces the need for health-promoting substances
Because vegans - like most normal vegetarians - usually lead a lifestyle that significantly reduces the need for beneficial substances, said Ibrahim Elmadfa. A healthy lifestyle with lots of exercise, sufficient fluid intake, little or no alcohol consumption and the absence of tobacco, is here the more common than the omnivores. This reduces the need for antioxidant vitamins and minerals. In addition, calcium predators such as cola drinks and processed cheese are usually not part of the vegetarian diet, which further reduces the mineral requirements of vegetarians and vegans, explained Elmadfa. In addition, vegetarians and vegans are often out in the open, which stimulates the body's own vitamin D production, so the nutritionist Ibrahim Elmadfa on. Behind it is the statement that vegetarians not only eat differently, but basically live healthier than the rest of the population. Their demonstrably lower risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity and metabolic disorders is therefore likely not only based on their diet, but also significantly on their overall lifestyle back, the experts said.

Positive health effects through meat renunciation and lifestyle
For the positive health effects of vegetarian nutrition it seems rather negligible, which form of vegetarianism those affected are, reports „World Online“ referring to a long-term study of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). The DKFZ scientists had the health of 1,904 vegans, ovo-lacto-vegetarians and over a period of 21 years „moderate“ Vegetarians (occasional fish and meat consumption) observed and compared the data obtained with those of the average population. Although the researchers found a significantly better health status among the study participants compared to the normal population, the different forms of vegetarianism did not show any significant differences in their health. The positive effects of the moderate vegetarians and the vegans would have hardly deviated, reported the study director of the DKFZ, Jenny Chang-Claude. Overall, the better state of health in people with vegetarian diet „certainly with the meat abstinence“ to explain and stand „In line with the hypothesis that animal fats and high-cholesterol diet favor diseases of the coronary arteries“, emphasized the expert. Since there were hardly any differences between the different forms of vegetarianism, the DKFZ scientist assumes that vegetarians and vegans are not only because of the renunciation of meat, but „distinguished from the general population due to their overall very health-conscious lifestyle“. (Fp)

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Picture: Luise